He Knew He Was Loved

A little over fifteen years ago youngest son and dog lover Brett called from Baylor University. He had spotted three abandoned puppies along the side of a Waco road. He tried to round them up but could only catch one. Brett called to let me know that he intended to bathe, feed, and care for the pup over the weekend. He told me he planned to take him to the Humane Society on Monday for adoption. I knew I was in trouble when Brett decided to let me know what his rescued puppy looked like. I called the lovely Mrs. Burchett. “He is working me,” I told Joni. “He is falling in love with this dog.” On Sunday I was driving through Waco and I stopped to see Brett and his alleged short term friend. The way this puppy followed Brett around and looked at him was astounding. He appeared to sense that Brett was, for him, the canine version of
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The Gift of Being Present

To celebrate the paperback release of Stay this week’s article is a free preview of one of my favorite chapters. Chapter 3 from STAY: Lessons My Dogs Taught Me about Life, Loss, and Grace BE PRESENT– Journal Entry One reason Hannah is such a special friend is that she entered our lives during a difficult season when her human mom—my wife, Joni—was diagnosed with breast cancer. Hannah provided a comforting presence during a scary time. I found an anonymous quote that sums up one big reason why: “One reason a dog can be such a comfort when you’re feeling blue is that she doesn’t try to find out why.” Hannah knew how to deal with people going through an emotionally and physically draining valley. Her solution was simple but powerful. Be present. It was just the unsolicited encouragement that Joni and I so needed at the time. When this cancer journey began, we learned a lot of hard lessons. One of the hardest
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